SalzAlpenSteig long-distance trail

Long-distance hiking across borders on the trails of white gold

A very special kind of hiking experience has been waiting for you since 2015 with the premium SalzAlpenSteig long-distance trail. The hiking trail stretches 230 km in a west to east direction from Rosenheim as far as Obertraun in 18 stages and passes historical salt mining spots in several regions. Besides the main route there are also 25 SalzAlpen tours for circular trails between 7 and 50 km and various paths that take you to and from the trail.

Salt, a unique source of wealth over the centuries

The SalzAlpenSteig links Bavaria, Salzburg and Upper Austria along national borders and reveals a wealth of historical treasures and cultural heritage in the regions that became rich thanks to salt. Salt, "white gold", shaped history from the Chiemsee-Alpenland via Chiemgau, Bad Reichenhall, Berchtesgaden-Königssee and Salzburg's Tennengau into Dachstein-Salzkammergut.

Prehistoric finds provide evidence that salt was mined in today's world heritage site of Hallstatt Dachstein Salzkammergut as early as roughly 7,000 years ago. Today, traces of the Celts can still be found in the area around Hallein and Bad Reichenhall. The Bavarians and Romans settled along the salt mine sites later on. Numerous museums along the SalzAlpenSteig provide deep insight into the cultural history, while show mines lead you into the mysterious world underground: hiking on the SalzAlpenSteig leads pass countless informative and educational spots.

Breathtaking scenery shaped by history

You are constantly accompanied along the SalzAlpenSteig by the mountains and lakes, forests and streams that blend into a fascinating landscape. The SalzAlpenSteig passes three of Central Europe's most stunning lakes with Chiemsee, Königssee and Lake Hallstatt. Water reveals its various faces in peaceful streams and thundering waterfalls and also very clearly makes you aware of the historical reference of how crucial water was to the salt industry, brine extraction and shipping the raw material.

Sightseeing, culture, history and stunning scenery: the SalzAlpenSteig offers all of this, whether it's on individual hiking routes or on extended long-distance hikes over several weeks.